Chair



. 1,674,846 c. F. STREIT CHAIR June 26, 1928:

Filed Sept. 19, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l v avwawlfoz 42% 7 M June 26, 1928.

C. F. STREIT CHAIR V Filed Sept. l9, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet anoento'oPatented June 26, 1928.

CARL F. STREIT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

CHAIR.

Application filed September 19, 1925. Serial No. 57,443.

My invention relates to an easy chair of the type in which the seat ishinged in relation to the supporting frame so that the seat and back maybe unitarily adjusted to different sitting positions after the fashionof the Morris chair.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a self-adjustment ofthe back in re lation to the supporting frame effected by simply raisingor lowering the back to selected position without the necessity of shifting or adjusting a supporting rod for the back.

Another .object of the invention is to dispense with any manuallyadjustable element which is functionally detachable and therefore liableto be lost or to fall down when the chair is being adjusted. That is tosay, instead of requiring one movement of the back and a second movement,or adjustment of the support for the back, my invention providesself-contained elements functioned by the hinged movement of the back inrelation to a supporting frame for the different adjusments.

Another object of theinvention is to provide an adjustable chair whichcan be entirely made and assembled in the ordinary furniture factory bycabinet makers there being no necessity for buying accessory metalparts, brackets, rods or the like, commonly required for adjustmentpurposes.

Another object of the invention is to dispense in the main with metalwork or bracket attachments which project in an unsightly manner. fromthe rear of the chair and to produce a sel -adjusting back and seatwherein the adjustable elements are com plementary to the cabinet workof the chair itself, producing what I may call an all cabinet-work job.

Another object of the invention is not merely to simplify the adjustingmechanism but to produce an article of furniture of more artistic value,in which the mechanically working elements are to a large extentconcealed or at least unobtrusive.

The features of the invention are more fully set forth in the drawingsforming part of this specification, in which:

Figure l is a side view showing part of the members in section.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear view of the chair with certain partsbroken away to show the operating elements more clearly.

Figure 3 is a general perspective view of the chair.

Figure 4: is a diagrammatic view showing the chair back raised from theposition shown in Figure 3 for'adjustment.

Figure 5 is a similar diagrammatic view showing the chair back inprocess of shifting from one adjustment to another.

Figure 6 is a similar diagrammatic view showing the chair in the extremeadjustment from the one shown in Figure 3.

The supporting frame comprises a base 1, legs 2 and arms 3, the unitaryseat 4 with its. back 5 being hinged at the forward portion of the seatby means of the bracket and pivot or hinge bolt 6, there being one oneach side. The upholstery 7 is appropriately placed upon the seat andback.

The rear intermediate portion of the back is caved out, as it were,forming at the lower portion, adjacent the seat, a pocket 8 as shown inFigure 1, defining the side portions 9 to the inner surfaces of whichare secured ratchet blocks 10, one upon each side of the chair, formedwith ratchet shoulders or notches 11, 12 respectively.

Preferably the entire back is upholstered and the ratchet blocks 10 aresecured to the inner surfaces of the lower portions 9 of the back asshown in Figure 3, and preferably these ratchet blocks are of wood whichcan match cabinet work of the chair in finish and design. l/Vhile I haveshown two of these ratchet blocks, one upon each side of the back, it isobvious that it may be unitarily considered as a single ratchet block.For engaging the. two ratchet blocks adjustably, I preferably provide asingle cross member in the nature of an intermediately fulcrumed pawl14, also preferably of wood, which is pivoted by studs 15 to theopposite side portions of frame 1,'as shown in Figure 1. In rear of thepawl 14, I preferably place the wooden or cabinet cross-piece 16,secured between the side portions of the frame 1 or the rear legs as itwere, which conceals the pivotal connection of the pawls andthe uppermargin of which constitutes a rest for the upper end of the pawl when itis swung over or outwardly to the position shown in Figure 4:, whereinthe back is completely raised. Upon the lower end of each of the ratchetblockets 10, I preferably provide a pawl tripping plate or strip 17projecting from the rear of the chair back its appropriate are.

so as to engage the side of the pawl, when the lower rear portion of theback moves in When the pawl normally occupies the position shown inFigure 5, the most of the weight of the pawl is slightly in front of thevertical plane through the pivot so that the pawl rests normally againstthe ratchet surface. In Figure 5 it may be considered that the back hasbeen adjusted from the lower ratchet shoulder to the upper ratchetshoulder. When the back is completely raised the trip member 17 engagingthe side of the pawl swings the pawl rearwardly beyond the center ofgravity so that it falls rearwardly upon the strip 16. \Vhenthe back islowered, the trip member 17 strikes against the lower, slightlyforwardly curved end 20 of the pawl andthrows the upper end ofthe pawlforward in position for engagement with the ratchet teeth. It will beseen from Figure 3 that the rear surfaces of cross-piece 16 and of thepawl 1 structur ally. resemble the cabinet work of the chair fran'ierather than operative mechanism.

, I have only shown two positions of adjust ment as representing the twoextremes of upright or reclining positions, it being obvious that anyamplification of this adjustment is not a departure in principle.

If the chair is adjusted to the upper notch 11, that is, the extremeinclined position indicated in Figure 6, it may be raised to the nextnotch and the pawl. will move to the position shown. in Figure 5, thecontinued raising bringing the upper end of the pawl under the lowerratchet 11.

When the chair isinthis extreme position to be changed to the lowerposition the back is swung or raised to throw the pawl back as shown inFigure 4:, and when the tripping strip 17 strikes the lower ,and forwardprojecting end 20 of the pawl the upper end.

of thepawl will strike against the ratchet and engage under the uppernotch 11.

It will be. recognized that the pawl is controlled by the swing of theseat strurture in making the different seat reclining adj ustments. Inan upward swing of the seat the pawl is automatically engaged with thenotches consecutively, until the seat is swung upwardly beyond the lastnotch-when the pawl is thrown out of connection and thereafter uponlowering the seat the pawl is positioned for engagement with the firstnotch of the series.

thereof for engagement with said ratchets,

and means extending from the seat at the base of the ratchetsforcontrolling said pawl in the swinging movements of said seat forescaping the intermediate teeth of the ratchets for fully reclining saidseat.

2. In a chair, a chair frame, a combined seat and back )ivotally mountedin the frame at the orward end of the seat, ratchets immovably attachedtov the rearend of the seat and at relative opposite sides thereof, anda pawl extending across said frame and pivoted to opposite sides thereoffor cooperating with said ratchets asthe combined seat and back areswung. p

3. In a reclining chair, a chair frame, a unitary seat and backstructure disposed within the frame and pivoted atits forward seat endto opposite sidesof the frame, ratchets at the rear end of said seat atrelative opposite sides thereof, and apawl extending across said frame,and ,pivotally mounted at opposite sides thereof for engagement with theteeth of the ratchets, the

rear end of the seathavingextensions cooperatlng with the pawl formoving the.

pawl alternatively in active and inactive positions for adjusting theseat from one extreme position to the other.

4. In a chair, a chair frame, a unitary seat and back, the seat portionpivotedfat its forward end to the forward end of the chair frame,ratchets immovably secured to the rear of the seat at the respectivesides thereof, a pawl pivotally mounted. between the frame sides forcooperation with said ratch ets, and said seat having extensions at therear thereof, the pivotpoint of said'pawl being disposed adjacent thearc of swing of the extensions and near the base end of the pawl,whereby the extensions move the pawl in and out of engagement with therat-chefs and the weight of the upper portion of the pawl past deadcenter maintains it in either of said positions.

In witness whereof, Ihereunto subscribe CARL STREIT.

